Belt buckle having enclosed elastically connected sliding elements



w Sept. 29, 1964 A. mass 3,150,427 BELT BUCKLE HAVING ENCLOSED ELASTICALLY CONNECTED SLIDING ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 BO INVENTOR Au AC LETO Eoss\ BY /Z I W1 m ATTORNEY Sept. 29, 1964 A. ROSS] 3,150,427

" BELT BUCKLE HAVING ENCLOSED ELASTICALLY CONNECTED SLIDING ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2'5 I4 FIGJO 1 a? '26 f 78 E i! ii ,24

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ATTORNEYs United States Patent 'ce 3,150,427 BELT BUCKLE HAVIN G ENCLGSED ELASTICALLY CUNNECTED SLIDENG ELEMENTd Anacleto Rossi, Via Landine 14, Florence, Italy Filed Nov. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 154,164 14 Claims. (Cl. 24163) This invention relates generally to the class of buckles and cl'asps and is directed particularly to improvements in the construction of buckles designed for use with waist belts such as are conventionally employed for supporting trousers and similar garments.

Belt buckles are known which have, in the construction thereof, a body portion forming a slide guide which is designed to be attached or secured to one end of a waist belt and which have another portion which is connected to the body portion for sliding movement thereon against the resistance of a yieldable connector between the portions, and which other portion is designed to be adjustably connected to the other end of the waist belt.

In a belt buckle of such known construction, an unsatisfactory feature is involved which resides in the fact that the slide guide or body portion of the buckle which comes in contact with the garment, is checked or restricted in its movements by engagement with the garments, and accordingly, such engagement restricts the ease of sliding of the guide relative to the garment or, in other words, such body portion of the buckle, being secured permanently to one end of the belt, does not have all of the freedom of play with respect to the garment which is desirable.

It is a particular object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing, to provide an improved belt buckle structure, for use particularly in connection with belts of all types designed for supporting trousers and similar garments, wherein a novel means is provided for permitting elastic or yieldable movement between parts which are connected to the two ends of the garment belt and relative to the body part of the buckle, which buckle body part remains stationary with respect to the garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel belt buckle structure wherein the elastically connected elements which are coupled to the two ends of the belt, are completely enclosed in and hidden by the body of the buckle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel belt buckle structure wherein the body of the buckle not only provides a housing or enclosure for relatively movable and elastically connected elements to which the ends of the garment belt are attached, but also forms a guide means for slidably supporting the elastically connected slide elements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a buckle of the construction above set forth, a novel means whereby the normally free end of a waist belt can be easily and quickly coupled with one of the elastically connected or coupled together slide elements and which means for efiecting such quick connection is completely hidden from view by the body of the buckle when the buckle is being worn.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a buckle as above described wherein the said connecting means is hidden from View during the wearing of the buckle, and wherein, also, such connecting means is covered or shielded from any possible engagement or entanglement with the adjacent article of clothing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new buckle structure which is designed in a novel manner to not only accomplish the foregoing stated object, but whereby the parts thereof can be easily and economical- 3,150,427 Patented Sept. 29., 1964 1y formed or fabricated and assembled for use with a minimum of labor.

A still further and general object of the invention is to provide a new belt buckle construction which, when attached to the two ends of a waist belt, will not only permit such ends to have free play relative to one another and independently of the part of the buckle up n which they are mounted, but wherein such ends will also be hidden from view by such part.

Broadly, the belt buclde structure of the present invention embodies or comprises a main part having a front side or face upon which any desired design or decoration may be placed to be seen when the buckle is worn. This body part has top and bottom longitudinally extending flanges which are directed rearwardly or away from the face of the body part or toward the body of the wearer.

Disposed between the flanges and at the rear side of the front of the buckle body are two slide members. Means is provided upon the inner sides of the flanges of the body for slida'bly supporting the slide members which are arranged to move in substantially a common plane. These slide members are coupled together by contractile springs which positively function to draw the slide members together, and means is provided at the ends of the flanges of the body to prevent the slide members from escaping from the body.

One of the slide members is formed with means to facilitate the permanent attachment to the same of one end of a belt, while the other slide member is provided with a rearwardly projecting pin or stem designed for selective engagement in one of several openings formed in the belt at the other end thereof, in the conventional manner, and this pin is headed so that when it is engaged in a belt opening it cannot easily slip out of the opening.

The belt engaging pin carried by one of the slide members is of such length that it will not project beyond the plane of the longitudinal edges of the side flanges of the body.

Disposed across the rear side of the buckle body is a cover slide which has end portions which are angled to engage across parts of the body flanges and which angle portions engage in grooves or other guiding means whereby the cover slide can be moved back and forth along the flanges, and this cover slide functions to cover or protect the end of the buckle engaging pin to thereby pre vent any possible entanglement of the same with an adjacent portion of clothing.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the buckle of the present invention as seen from the front and showing portions of a belt connected therewith.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view or" the structure shown in FIG. 1, as seen from the rear side thereof.

FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal section and on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 66 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the structure in the plane of section line 7-7 on FIG. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view in perspective of the also rs? v3 buckle structure and additionally showing an end portion of the strap which is fixed or permanently attached to one of the slide members.

FIG. 9 is a view in longitudinal section corresponding substantially to FIG. 3 but showing the slide members drawn together by the connecting springs and positioned at one end of the buckle body and showing the cover slide at the opposite end of the body, in a position to facilitate the connection of the apertured free end of the belt with the attaching pin.

FIG. 10 is a detailed section taken substantially on the line 1010 of FIG. 9.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FTGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the present invention in perspective and as viewed respectively from the front and the rear, and show, joined thereto, the fixed and the detachable ends of a conventional type of waist belt which may be formed of leather, fabric, plastic or any other desired material, having the proper width to be coupled to the buckle.

The buckle is generally designated 16, whfle the numeral 12 generally designates a waist belt, end portions of which only are illustrated. One of the end portions of the belt, here desi nated 14, may be referred to as the fixed end of the belt as this is permanently attached to an element of the buckle, While the other end portion, here designated 16, may be referred to as the free or detachable end of the belt. This free or detachable end 16 is provided, preferably in the longitudinal center thereof, with a series of longitudinally spaced apertures or holes 18 for selectively receiving the hereinafter described coupling pin forming a part of the buckle and carried by one of the hereinafter described slide members.

The body of the buckle is generally designated and preferably is of rectangular form whereby it extends, in the length thereof, longitudinally of the belt to which the buckle is attached. This body 26 preferably is formed or fashioned from a single piece of material such as metal of suitable character, or any other desired and suitable substance, and comprises the elongate or rectangular front plate or panel 22 bordered by the substantially right angularly disposed longitudinal top and bottom side flanges, which are of identical design and are accordingly designated by the same reference character 24.

The panel 22 forming the front of the buckle may receive or carry any suitable or desired ornamental finish such, for example, as a sheet of leather, here designated 26, which may terminate short of the ends of the panel and which may extend partly over the sides of the flanges 24, as shown, and which leather sheet, or like material, may be plain and finished in any desired color or tone, or it may be carved or stamped with a desired design, such as that indicated at 28.

Each of the side flanges 24 is formed to provide a longitudinal outwardly projecting channel d rib 39. The channels 32 of these ribs open inwardly to form guide tracks for the hereinafter described slide members and these guide track forming channels 32 lie in a common plane extending across the flanges and parallel with the panel 22 as is clearly seen in FIGS. and 6.

At one end of the buckle body, a stop 3-4 is formed in each of the track channels 32 as shown in FIG. 7. This may be accomplished by pressing inwardly a portion of the metal of the flange, or in any other suitable manner, which stops at the ends of the channels prevent the escape from between the flanges of one of the hereinafter described slide members.

At the opposite end of the body from the stops 34, the panel material has a portion thereof, in the approximate longitudinal center of the panel, turned inwardly to provide the stop tongue 36, which likewise functions to retain an adjacent one of the hereinafter described slide members in position between the flanges and from escaping from the channel tracks.

In addition to the stop lugs 34 and the tongue 36, each of the side flanges 24 has at each end thereof an outpressed boss 33. These bosses also provide stops for the hereinafter decribed cover slide.

It will be seen upon reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, that the ribs 30 are disposed approximately midway between the longitudinal edges of the flanges 24, being here shown as somewhat slightly closer to the free longitudinal edges of the flanges than to the panel 22, thereby providing a substantial amount of space or clearance area, designated 46, for the fixed end of the strap and other parts of the buckle structure as hereinafter set forth.

It will also be seen upon reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, that the portions of the flanges 24 lying between the ribs 36 and the free edges of the flanges are slightly inwardly convergent toward the ribs 30, whereby there is provided adjacent to each rib 3t) and at the inner part of the said inwardly convergent portion of the flange, the recess or angle 42, which coacts with the adjacent part of the flange for maintaining the cover slide in position, as hereinafter set forth.

The free longitudinal edges of the flanges 24 are preferably rounded or turned inwardly slightly, as indicated at 44, to provide a smooth, finished edge.

Disposed between the flanges 24 are two slide members 46 and 48 which are coupled together by a pair of contractile springs, each of which is designated 56, and which function to normally draw the slide members 46 and 48 together.

The slide member 46 comprises a flat plate having lateral edge projections 52 which constitute runners and which are engaged in the channel tracks 32. This slide member 46 has struck from the central portion thereof, approximately midway between the runner portions 52, a tongue 5'4 which projects toward the front plate or panel 22, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 9.

Also struck from the plate forming the slide 46 are the two pointed spurs 56, by means of which the fixed end 14 of the belt is secured to this slide 46 by the means best seen in FIG. 8, where the spurs 56 are projected or extended outwardly toward openings 58 formed in the end portion 14 of the belt. After the spurs have been extended through these openings 53, they are bent down onto the body of the belt to clinch the belt body as best seen in FIG. 4.

The end edge of the end portion 14 of the belt is notched or recessed, as indicated at 60, so that the end of the belt may cover substantially the entire surface of the slide member, this notch being provided to receive the apertured spring anchoring tongue 54.

The transverse edge of the slide member 46 which is remote from the end of the panel 22 is also formed with the forwardly turned tabs 62, against which the transverse edge of the end portion 14 of the belt abuts when the belt is clinched to the slide member 46 by the spurs 56. These tabs 62 also function as abutments against which the adjacent edge of the other slide member 43 abuts when the springs draw the slide members together as shown in FIG. 9.

The slide member 48 may be defined as or designated the pin slide, as it carries the anchoring pin 64, with which the apertured free end portion 16 of the belt is detachably connected.

The pin slide 48 also comprises a plate body having the lateral runners 66 which are in a slightly offset plane from the middle portion of the plate and which engage in the opposite channel tracks 32, as shown in FIG. 5. and, as is also shown in this figure and in FIG. 9, the portion of the pin slide lying between the runner forming edge portions 66 is in a plane somewhat closer to the front panel 22 than the plate forming the slide 46.

Between the runners 66 of the pin slide 48, the forward edge of the slide is cut back slightly, forming the recess 63, and the edge of this recessed portion is turned slightly to form the flange '70, which abuts the tabs 62 '5 when the two slide members are brought together. Also, it will be seen upon reference to FIGS. 4 and 7 particularly, that the transverse edge of the slide member 46 which is nearer to the pin slide 48 is shaped to enter the recess 68.

The pin slide 48, at the transverse edge remote from the slide 46, is provided with the forwardly projecting spring anchor tongue '72. This tongue is in line with the stop tongue 36 and the latter thereby functions to prevent the pin tongue from escaping from between the flanges 24, as will be obvious.

Upon the side of the pin tongue 48 remote from the front panel 22 and adjacent to the spring anchor tongue 72, the belt anchoring pin 64 is secured. This pin is also approximately in the longitudinal center of the slide 48, that is, it is midway between the runners 66 and, accordingly, is in the longitudinal center of the buckle, and, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 9, the pin tongue is slightly angled so that its top end, which carries the head or knob 74, inclines slightly toward the end of the buckle to which the fixed end portion 14 of the belt is connected. Thus, when the tongue is engaged in an aperture 18 of tie belt and a pull is applied to the free end of the belt, it will tend to slip toward the base of the pin and remain securely connected therewith.

As shown, the two springs 56 are provided at their ends with suitable means, such as the hooked terminals 76, for connecting them with the anchor tongues 54 and 72. These springs are of the type to contract and thus pull the slide members 46 and 48 together as shown in FIG. 9.

The numeral 78 designates a cover slide plate which is slidably connected with the flanges 24 and bridges the space between the flanges. This cover slide has at opposite ends thereof the downwardly and inwardly turned retaining flanges 8i These flanges are in slightly convergent relation, as shown in FIG. 5, and they conform to the convergent angular relation of, and engage against the outer sides of, the hereinbefore referred to portions of the flanges 24 which lie between the longitudinal edges of these flanges and the ribs 3%. Thus, the cover slide is held by the flanges 89, which, in eflect, function as grippers, in position across the edges of the flanges 24. This cover flange is sufficiently free or loose to permit it to be easily slid from one end of the panel or body of the buckle to the other, but it is prevented from running off the flanges 24 by the bosses 38.

As hereinbefore stated, the height. of the anchor pin '64 is such that it will not project beyond the turned edges 44 of the flanges 24. Thus, it will be seen upon reference particularly to FIGS. 3, and 9, that the cover 'plate or cover slide 78 can be positioned to cover or shield the headed end of the pin 64 after the free end 16 of the belt has been connected with the pin.

As will be understood, the end portion 14 of the belt is permanently secured or fixed to the slide member 46, while the free end 16 can be attached to or removed from the slide 48.

The permanently attached end 14 of the belt lies between the slide 46 and the front or panel portion 22 of the buckle body, but the free end, apertured portion 16 of the belt is positioned for attachment to the pin 64 along the surfaces of'the slides 46 and 48 which are nearest to the body of the wearer or, in other words, the sides of these slides which are remote from the panel portion 22.

FIG. 9 illustrates the operation of attaching the free end of the belt to the buclde. Here it will be seen that the two parts 46 and 43 have been drawn together by the springs and they are located in the end of the buckle body nearest to the stop tongue 36, although this positioning of the slides is not essential to the operation of attaching the end of the belt to the buckle. However, when the slides are in the position shown in FIG. 9, the cover slide 78 is shifted toward the opposite end of the buckle so as to fully expose the anchor pin 64. The free end 16 of the belt can then he slipped in between the cover slide and the secured end portion 14 of the belt, until the selected hole or opening 18 is in position to he slipped over the anchor pin 6 Then after the pin has been engaged in the selected hole, as shown, for example, in FIG. 3, the cover slide 78 is moved back into a position where it will cover or shield the end of the pin 64.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the operation described is completed, the application of pulls in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 3 and 4, will eflect the pulling apart of the slide members 46 and 48 against the resistance of the springs 50 and thus allow the belt circumference to be increased in response to the strains imposed upon it by the body of the wearer, while at the same time the position of the buckle body 253 will remain unchanged with respect to the body of the wearer of the belt.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore ilustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined in the appended claims, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. A buckle for waist and other belts having apertures in and extending longitudinally of one end portion thereof, comprising an elongate buckle body having a front panel wall and longitudinal rearwardly projecting flanges bordering the longitudinal edges of said panel wall and each flange having a free longitudinal edge, means carried by each flange forming an inwardly opening longitudinally extending track groove lying substantially medially between said front panel wall and said longitudinal edge of the flange, a pair of slide elements disposed between said flanges and lying substantially in a common plane, runner means carried by and projecting laterally from said slide elements and slidably engaged in said track grooves, a contractile spring connected with and coupling together said slide elements and constantly urging movement of the same toward one anot .er, said slide elements both being freely slidable, means for securing one end of a waist belt to one slide element between the latter and said panel Wall, and means carried by the other slide element for selective engagement in one of a number of apertures in the other end of the waist belt for detachably coupling the said other end of the waist belt to the said other slide element.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the last stated means is upon the side of said other slide element remote from the front panel of the buckle body.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein said last stated means comprises a rearwardly projecting pin having its rear end lying forwardly of a plane passing across the said longitudinal edges of said flanges.

4. The invention according to claim 3 with means movable longitudinally of and connecting and carried by the flanges for disposition rearwardly of and in covering, shielding relation with said pin.

5. A buckle for waist and other belts, comprising an elongate buckle body having a front panel wall portion and longitudinal rearwardly projecting flanges bordering the longitudinal edges of the wall portion and having free longitudinal edges, each of said flanges being formed with a longitudinally extending outwardly projecting hollow rib forming an inwardly opening longitudinal track groove lying approximately midway between the flange longitudinal edge and said panel wall portion, a pair of slide elements disposed transversely between said flanges and lying substantially in a common plane, means carried by said slide elements forming runners slidably engaged in said track grooves and supporting said elements spaced from the rear of said panel wall portion, means at the two ends of each of the track grooves for limiting the sliding movement of said elements in the grooves and longitudinally of the buckle between the flanges, means for securing one end of a waist belt to one slide element, and an anchor means carried by the other slide element for selectively detachably connecting another end of a waist belt having a longitudinal row of apertures therein, with the said other slide element.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein the said anchor means comprises a pin member secured to the side of the said other slide element remote from said front panel Wall portion of the buckle and projecting rearwardly from the latter wall and terminating in the area lying between the longitudinal edges of said flanges and the rear side of the panel wall.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein a substantial portion of the outer end of the pin is disposed at an inclination to the panel wall and said inclination is away from the adjacent end of the panel wall.

8. The invention according to claim 6, with a cover slide plate disposed across the space between the longitudinal edges of said flanges and having sliding connection with the flanges for shifting longitudinally of the flanges into covering relation with said pin.

9. The invention according to claim 8, wherein the sliding connection between said cover plate and the flanges comprises portions of opposite sides of the cover plate angled inwardly to form gripping flanges which lie against the outer sides of the first mentioned flanges and wherein the first mentioned flanges and the gripping flanges converge away from the cover slide plate to effect a maintenance of the cover slide plate in operative connection with the longitudinal flanges of the buckle body.

10. The invention according to claim 6, with a cover plate connected with and extending across between said longitudinal flanges and movable longitudinally of the flanges into and out of covering relation with said pin.

11. A buckle for a waist belt of the type having one end secured to a buckle and having a longitudinal row of apertures in its other end for detachable connection with the buckle; said buckle comprising a body having an elongate front panel bordered along each longitudinal edge by a relatively wide flange having a free longitudinal edge, each flange having an outwardly projecting rib substantially midway between its longitudinal edge and said panel and each rib forming an inwardly opening track groove, said buckle body having an open back and open ends, a first slide plate and a second slide plate, said slide plates lying between said flanges, each slide plate having opposite flat side edge portions forming runners slidably engaged in adjacent track grooves, said plates both being freely slidable relative to the flanges and to one another, said first slide plates carrying spur elements projecting therefrom toward the panel for engagement with and securing one end of a belt between said first slide plate and the panel, said first slide plate also carrying an apertured tongue projecting therefrom toward the panel, said second slide plate carrying an anchor tongue projecting toward the panel, contractile spring means having an end attached to said apertured tongue and an opposite end attached to said anchor tongue and constantly drawing said slide plates toward one another, said slide plates having a fully drawn together position in which they are engaged one with the other with the spring means housed between said plates and the panel, and a belt anchoring pin carried by said second plate and projecting from the side thereof remote from said panel for selective engagement in an aperture of a row formed in an end of a belt of the type referred to, whereby said last mentioned belt end is secured against the sides of the slide plates remote from the buckle panel and is positioned behind the said one end of the belt.

12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said anchoring pin terminates, at the end thereof remote from the second plate, inwardly of a plane common to the longitudinal edges of the flanges whereby the longitudinal edges of the flanges maintain the said end of the anchoring pin free of entanglement with an article of clothing against which the buckle may be positioned when worn.

13. The invention according to claim 11, wherein said panel carries a stop tongue projecting rearwardly therefrom at the end edge adjacent to the second slide plate and in a position to be contacted by said anchor tongue and said track grooves have stop means therein at the ends thereof remote from said stop tongue for engagement by the runners of said first slide plate.

14. A buckle for waist and other belts, the buckle embodying a single member consisting of an elongate wall panel having a front side and a rear side and having rearwardly projecting longitudinal bordering flanges and the said member being open on the near side between the flanges and at its ends, each of said flanges being formed to provide an inwardly opening longitudinal track groove lying substantially midway between the wall panel and the longitudinal edge of the flange, a pair of slide plates spanning the space between said flanges and each plate having opposite runner forming edge portions slidably engaged in the track grooves, whereby the slide plates are supported by the flanges for sliding movement relative to one another, the slide plates being spaced from the rear side of said wall panel, said slide plates having end edges extending in the transverse direction of said wall panel,

r an anchor tongue carried by one slide plate at the end edge thereof remote from the other slide plates and projecting toward the rear side of the wall panel, an anchor tongue carried by said other slide plate adjacent to the end edge of the latter remote from said one slide plate and projecting toward said rear side of the wall panel, said anchor tongues being aligned substantially on the longitudinal center of the wall panel, a spring element lying between said slide plates and said wall panel and connecting said anchor tongues, and biased to constantly urge the slide plates toward one another, means for attaching to said other slide plates an end of a belt introduced into the said member through the open end of the latter adjacent to said other slide plate and between the latter and the rear side of said wall panel, and means carried by said one slide plate on the side thereof opposite from said spring element for attaching to said one side plate another end of the belt introduced into the said member through the opposite open end of the latter, the said slide plates forming a separation means between the spring element and a belt end attached to the said other slide plate, and a belt end attached to the said means carried by said one slide plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,177,264 ONeill Mar. 28, 1916 1,644,720 Goldstein Oct. 11, 1927 1,737,492 Carroll Nov. 26, 1929 1,752,414 Burnett Apr. 1, 1930 2,388,752 Loos Nov. 13, 1945 2,641,812 Boudreau June 16, 1953 2,860,398 MacPherson Nov. 18, 1958 

1. A BUCKLE FOR WAIST AND OTHER BELTS HAVING APERTURES IN AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF ONE END PORTION THEREOF, COMPRISING AN ELONGATE BUCKLE BODY HAVING A FRONT PANEL WALL AND LONGITUDINAL REARWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGES BORDERING THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID PANEL WALL AND EACH FLANGE HAVING A FREE LONGITUDINAL EDGE, MEANS CARRIED BY EACH FLANGE FORMING AN INWARDLY OPENING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TRACK GROOVE LYING SUBSTANTIALLY MEDIALLY BETWEEN SAID FRONT PANEL WALL AND SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE FLANGE, A PAIR OF SLIDE ELEMENTS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AND LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A COMMON PLANE, RUNNER MEANS CARRIED BY AND PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM SAID SLIDE ELEMENTS AND SLIABLY ENGAGED IN SAID TRACK GROOVES, A CONTRACTILE SPRING CONNECTED WITH AND COUPLING TOGETHER SAID SLIDE ELEMENTS AND CONSTANTLY URGING MOVEMENT OF THE SAME TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, SAID SLIDE ELEMENTS BOTH BEING FREELY SLIDABLE, MEANS FOR SECURING ONE END OF A WAIST BELT TO ONE SLIDE ELEMENT BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID PANEL WALL, AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE OTHER SLIDE ELEMENT FOR SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN ONE OF A NUMBER OF APERTURES IN THE OTHER END OF THE WAIST BELT FOR DETACHABLY COUPLING THE SAID OTHER END OF THE WAIST BELT TO THE SAID OTHER SLIDE ELEMENT. 